


Time-Out

by icemakestars



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Fluff, Multi, Soul Mate AU, world without magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-10-17
Packaged: 2018-04-26 19:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5016790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icemakestars/pseuds/icemakestars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where timers count down to a person meeting their soul-mate, Lucy Heartfilia is confident that she has cheated fate and met her true love already. When unexpected circumstances occur, Lucy is forced to question whether it really was her 'true love' at all...</p>
<p>Yeah, if only she was that lucky.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time-Out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheCookieMonster77](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCookieMonster77/gifts), [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Jinxed](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3397331) by [TheCookieMonster77](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCookieMonster77/pseuds/TheCookieMonster77). 



The concept of having a ‘soul-mate’ had never scared Lucy Heartfilia. This was partly down to how 'soul-mates’ and 'timers’ were a crucial aspect of society, but mostly because she knew exactly who her soul-mate was. The timer flashing on her wrist showed her nothing she did not know; she had spent everyday of her childhood with her true love, anyway.

It was exceptionally rare for soul-mates to meet before their timer (a device which supposedly counted down to the first meeting of the lovers) had reached zero, but it did happen. The tell-tale sign of such an event is having a clock which is at the exact same time as the person you are with. Lucy checked her wrist, and then glanced warmly at that of her best friend, Natsu.

_0000:04:37:29._

They both read the same. Less than four hours and forty minutes until they could make this official. Until it was socially acceptable for them to be together, and they could 'come out’, so to speak.

“Don’t forget that we have a reservation for tonight, Natsu.” Lucy warned, standing up and brushing creases from her skirt. Her fringe fell upon her face, and she pushed it back with a neatly painted fingertip.

“Yeah, yeah, I promise I’ll be there.” Natsu dismissed idly with a flippant hand gesture. Lucy slapped his bicep with the back of her hand and pouted.

“You’d better be!” She warned, her voice cold. Natsu laughed at her stern expression, and she let out a sharp, indignant breath.  

“I can’t believe we’re going to a takeaway for our special evening…” Lucy trailed off, crossing her arms over her chest as she waited for Natsu to finish. They were in her bedroom packing boxes as she prepared to move into another apartment. She had opted for one closer to Natsu, seeing as they would no doubt want to see more of each other after they were inevitably revealed as soul-mates. Natsu glanced up with a shy grin and then continued his struggle with the box entitled 'shoes’.

“Between my bills and your rent, we can’t exactly afford the really up-market places. If it bothers you, we can always ask your dad for-”

“No! It’s fine, honestly it is.” Lucy sighed, stretching her arms and turning towards the door. Natsu eyed her curiously, and she smirked in response.

“I have some stuff to prepare before tonight… I’ll see you at seven!” Lucy called the final statement over her shoulder, not bothering to wait for Natsu’s response.  

She was half-way down the road when she froze with terror, realising that she had unknowingly left Natsu in charge of locking her house door. It wasn’t as if she didn’t trust him, or anything. She didn’t, actually, but there were more than one, perfectly valid reason as to why. It was largely down to his habit of destroying things, and thoughtlessly doing something stupid without hesitation. Brief flashes of every valuable item Lucy had owned since the age of five flashed before her eyes, and she shuddered at all of the mess Natsu would no doubt cause.

Knowing it was too late to do anything about that now, Lucy carried on walking into the town centre to finish getting herself ready for the evening.  

~’*’~

“Oh, bloody hell!” Lucy muttered under her breath as she raced towards the lift. The escalators were out of order, and Lucy did not dare to attempt the stairs in her six-inch heels. She teetered towards the closing lift doors, yelping out a quick 'Hold them!’ At whoever was inside. As she slid into the barely-open doors and let the patronising sound of elevator music wash over her, Lucy checked her wrist.

_0000:00:05:58._

Lucy was aware of a presence behind her, and just as the elevator had shook with it’s ascent to the next floor and the comfortable feeling of pressure had settled upon Lucy’s shoulders as she was carried upwards, she turned to face her companion.

“Thank y-” Her gratitude was cut off when the lift shook aggressively. She squealed, clinging to the girl behind her who yelped indignantly. There was a brief moment of silence where Lucy merely clutched onto the girl’s dark blue coat, and widened her eyes in shock.

_“We are experiencing some technical difficulties, but we urge all customers using our elevator services not to panic. They shall resume shortly, and we expect no more than a twenty-minute delay. Thank you for your cooperation, and apologise for all inconvenience caused.”_ The generic voice of a bored, middle-aged woman interrupted the even more generic music, which resumed playing once her announcement had ended.

When the girl next to her started speaking, Lucy stepped back in surprise, swiftly releasing her jacket and giving them both some space.“No, no, no! This cannot be happening, not to Juvia! Not today!”  

'Not today’, that should be her line! Lucy growled in frustration, balling her fists up and pressing them against her eyes, throwing her head back with a long, drawn out groan. She could not be late for her meal- what would even happen if she didn’t turn up- what would her friends say- her  _father_ -

“Are you okay?” The voice, as quiet as it was, startled Lucy. She dropped her hands from her eyes and blinked twice, wondering why they felt damp. It was only when she registered the wetness on her cheeks and the concerned glances this stranger was giving her that she realised that she had begun crying.

“I’m just… late for something important. Something I can’t miss.” Lucy gave a watery smile which was returned with hesitation.

“Juvia cannot miss her important thing either.” She sighed, leaning back against the cool metal wall and meeting Lucy’s gaze. Her hair, long and curled and cerulean, looked soft as it framed her pale face. Her- Lucy had decided that 'her’ name was probably 'Juvia’, and would address her as such unless told otherwise- eyes reminded Lucy of the morning dew she found gathered on her car bonnet; beautifully innocent, but also with a promise of new adventure and warmth. And- oh.  _Oh_! She was pretty. Not the stop-and-stare kind of gorgeous, but the low-key, almost ethereal type of beautiful which makes you wonder how you never noticed it before, or how one person could redefine your idea of 'beauty’ without even trying. Lucy averted her gaze.

“What are you late for?” Not that Lucy was one to pry. Frankly, she cared little about people’s business unless it somehow involved her, but she would say anything to make Juvia stop staring at her in such a foreignly intimate way. It was as if they had seen each other before, spoken before and were familiar with each other. Of course it sounded cheesy and cliché even to herself, but Lucy felt it nonetheless.

“My soul-mate.” Juvia smiled sweetly at that, her cheeks colouring at the mere mention of her 'true love’. Lucy blinked once. Twice. Three times, before her mouth went slack and she let out a high-pitched yell. Her hand was a cobra’s strike as it grabbed Juvia’s wrist and flipped it over.

_0000:00:00:09._

Lucy ignored Juvia’s indignant yelps and insistent tugging, examining her own wrist for confirmation. The time mirrored the number on Lucy’s arm. Silently, she held it up to Juvia.

_0000:00:00:03._

Juvia’s eyes widened, her mouth opened to speak. She was interrupted by a glowing light protruding from both of their wrists, it was a dusty pink and projected ten zeros into the space between them.  

_0000:00:00:00._

This was it. This was them. There was no questioning it, no wodnering if there had been a mistake; fate did not make mistakes, it made futures.  

Lucy whispered. “So, you’re my-”

“-soulmate?” Juvia finished. They were both breathing shallowly, a larger distance set between them. Lucy sunk to the floor, her back pressed against the cool metal.  

“This… it isn’t happening. It  _can’t_  be happening! What about Natsu?” Lucy muttered to herself, hands pressed to either side of her face as she rested her elbows on her knees.

“Gray-sama’s timer was the same as Juvia’s. If Juvia is Lucy’s soult-mate, then maybe Natsu is…” The thought did not need to be finished. As if on queue, the lift lurched into motion, carrying them to their destination. They did not speak. As soon as the doors opened, Juvia’s phone gave a buzz. She fished it out of her pocket and stared, wide-eyed, at its content.

“'I don’t know what’s happened, but some idiot set fire to the apartment opposite mine. Our timers have gone off… call me?’” Juvia read out, her expression blank. Wordlessly, she held up her phone. It displayed an image of a very annoyed looking boy with dazzling eyes and no shirt. Next to him was a very charred and sheepish looking Natsu. Lucy groaned.

“That one’s mine.” She grunted, standing up to inspect the image further. The elevator dinged and began its decent to the ground floor.  

“We should probably head back to your apartment…” Juvia suggested. She began to walk on, but then froze. Instead, she turned and extended her hand out to Lucy as an offering, which the blonde accepted with a not-so-subtle tint to her cheeks. Juvia’s skin was soft and foreign in Lucy’s palm, but she decided instantly that she did not hate it. Not at all.

“Yes, let’s go home.” Lucy breathed. They walked together hand-in-hand as their wrists continued to glow a promise between them.


End file.
